STRUGGLING SE FOOTBALL SQUAD ENJOYS 1ST VICTORY

For the first time all season -- and for the first time in more than a year -- Southeast Missouri State University football coach John Mumford got to talk about a victory at his weekly media conference.

The Indians broke a 12-game losing streak Saturday by rallying past visiting Southwest Missouri State 28-23. That was Southeast's first win since Oct. 10, 1998, when the Indians beat host Tennessee Tech 29-24.

"It was a good win and we obviously enjoyed it, but I wish it would have come earlier," said Mumford. "We got a lot of monkeys off our back, but we're not a 7-1 football team, we're a 1-7 team. We have to remember that going to Tennessee-Martin."

Southeast will look for its first Ohio Valley Conference victory of the season and shoot for a two-game winning streak Saturday when the Indians play at Tennessee-Martin in a 1 p.m. kickoff.

The Skyhawks, like the Indians, have struggled this season at 1-7. UTM, which went winless last year, defeated Lambuth 25-19 in overtime on Sept. 11 for its lone victory of 1999.

"Tennessee-Martin has struggled just like we have this season and I know they look at this game as one they can win," Mumford said. "We have to prepare for them just like we prepared for Southwest Missouri."

Southeast is 0-4 in OVC play while UTM is 0-6 and will have its final crack at a conference victory Saturday.

* As expected, Mumford said that Rashad West will make his first start at quarterback Saturday.

West, a sophomore in his first season at Southeast, was brilliant in leading the comeback victory over Southwest Missouri.

After entering the game early in the second quarter, West directed all four Southeast scoring drives. He ran for a touchdown, threw two touchdown passes, rushed for 97 yards and passed for 173 yards to earn OVC Newcomer of the Week honors.

"Rashad had a great game. He did a fine job," said Mumford. "He can make good things out of a bad situation. He really stretches the defense and puts a lot of pressure on the defense. He's an exciting player."

Mumford was quick to point out that West was not alone in leading the Indians to their first victory.

"There were 10 other guys out there on offense that helped him out and the defense did a good job," Mumford said. "Our offense being on the field so much really kept the defense fresh, which is always a key."

By being able to have so much success on third down -- the Indians converted 12 of 19 third-down opportunities -- Southeast ran off nearly 90 plays and had 13 more minutes of possession time than the Bears.

"Our third-down efficiency had been about only 20 percent for the season and we were up to about 60 percent against Southwest Missouri," said Mumford.

* By intercepting two passes against Southwest Missouri, senior cornerback Brian Hinton now ranks second in the OVC and 31st nationally with four interceptions for the season.

Hinton's 118 yards in interception returns leads the OVC and is third nationally.

Also defensively, the Indians boast two of the OVC's top three tacklers in senior linebackers Jeremy Atwell and Donovan LaViness.

Atwell is first with 83 tackles while LaViness is third with 78. Atwell also leads the league in tackles for loss with 17.

* For the second straight week, Mumford said the Indians will practice without pads this week.

Mumford had the Indians do that last week because they were beat up after a physical loss at Indiana State.

"We'll try it without pads again," he said. "I think it kept us fresh."

* Southeast suffered no major injuries in the Southwest Missouri game.

Offensive lineman Chad King suffered a dislocated finger during the first half but played in the second half and will play this week.

Fullback Sturge Cumberford, who has missed the last two games with a deep thigh bruise, is probable this week.

Offensive lineman Eric Carlson has missed the last three games with a knee injury and is doubtful this week.